Piazzetta Giulia Cecchettin was inaugurated this morning in Sassari. The open space, in front of the San Donato school in the historic center, was created as a tribute to the 22-year-old victim of femicide by her ex-boyfriend in 2023. The idea was conceived by now-retired local police officer Roberto Demuro and shared with the school's director, Patrizia Mercuri, who for two years has also been the city councilor for Heritage Development, Housing Policies, Civic Services, and Contracts.
"The children were very touched by Giulia," she recalls. The square is also known as "Piazza della Legalità," a theme the school itself is developing with various projects, as Mercuri recalls. Today, dozens of young students from the school attended the ceremony, which was also attended by the mayor, Giuseppe Mascia.
"We want to thank those who live here and expect a different historic center than the one depicted in recent years," he declared, then getting involved in painting a red shoe on the wall in front of the educational facility. A mural is also planned, next to the existing one, featuring Sardinian female figures, such as the cogas and janas, with the Mother Goddess at the center. The entire Piazza di San Donato has been redeveloped with a series of works costing €1.5 million, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The works concluded two months ago, proceeding in parallel with the construction of the water, sewer, and gas utilities.
The project, conceived by the previous Campus administration and implemented, with some variations from the current one, features trachyte and cobblestone flooring, seating, bike racks, and rest areas. Meanwhile, several donations have been made to the school by the Islamic and Chinese communities, including pens, water, stationery, and soap. "We want to lend a hand to this institution," say Ashraf and Buba, two community representatives, adding, "This is our home now."